Iowa State alumnus and 32-year veteran of the ISU police department Rob Bowers has been in public service for many years, but his decision to run for City Council has not been long in the works.

Bowers said he was approached by community members suggesting he run for city council when Peter Orazem announced he would not seek reelection in Ames’ third ward. Bowers announced his candidacy in March.

While Bowers was unsure who initially had the idea that he should run for city council, he said community members’ support for him contributed to his decision.

Bowers grew up on a farm in Toddville, Iowa, north of Cedar Rapids. Bowers started at Iowa State in 1980, where he met his wife, Carol. Bowers graduated from Iowa State in May of 1985, and became a full-time officer for ISU the following month.

Bowers had already been working with the department in a limited capacity as well as working as a teaching assistant.

Bowers experience in the Ames community extends well-beyond ISU police. Bowers also worked with Leadership Ames in 1994 and 1995, Ames Human Rights Commission from 1995 through 1998.

Bowers has worked with various other groups in the Ames community but the experience most similar to City Council has come with the Ames Planning and Zoning Commission. He has been a member of the Planning and Zoning Commission since 2012, serving as the vice chair in 2015 and 2016.

“I am term-limiting out on planning and zoning and it is that type of experience that has led to why I am ultimately running for City Council,” Bowers said. “I did not really think about it and then all of the sudden Peter Orazem is not running again so the seat opened up and it seemed like a lot of things came together at the right time.”

Bowers feels his experience and knowledge from the Ames Planning and Zoning Commission is crucial to the changing Land Use Policy Plan.

“Now instead of just simply a Land Use Policy Plan, communities have tended to move more towards a comprehensive plan. So the city will be working over the next 12 to 18 months on developing a comprehensive plan that is going to help guide us for the next 20 plus years,” Bowers said.

However, Bowers said his listening and collaboration skills will likely be the most important skills he has learned from his time in public service.

“I have a deep passion for the community of Ames and for Iowa State University so I definitely want to serve but it is not something I had set out to do. It is something I want to do for the community, it is not something I am doing for myself,” Bowers said.

Bowers made no attempt to hide his affection for Ames and his belief in the abilities of the community.

“Ames has been a great place to live. It has been a great place to raise a family. So I want to continue to help Ames be the great place that my family and I have found it to be,” he said. “Certainly we are like any other place, we have trials and tribulations but by working together, I think we can overcome those and continue to be a great place. It is a place I am proud to call home and proud to have raised a family.”